


Attractively Incorrect

by IntuitivelyFortuitous



Series: Spones Oneshots [1]
Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies), Star Trek: The Original Series
Genre: Flirting, M/M, Meet-Cute, Science, but fake science, scientifically, spones - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-18
Updated: 2016-12-18
Packaged: 2018-09-09 14:16:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,675
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8893891
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IntuitivelyFortuitous/pseuds/IntuitivelyFortuitous
Summary: Leonard has never enjoyed commuting to Starfleet conferences. He's also never particularly enjoyed talking to astrophysicists, but this trip seems to bring many exceptions to the table.





	

Leonard noticed him when he first boarded. He was unmistakable—that awful haircut could draw eyes from anywhere. People would have stopped to look even if it hadn’t been _him_. Of course, most people likely assumed that he was another stuck-up Vulcan, which, although not incorrect, did not begin to cover it. 

While Leonard squeezed in between two elderly Andorian women, he snuck glances at the entrance. Funny how quickly his heartbeat could skyrocket (and ha, ha, not because he was on a shuttle). S’chn T’gai Spock, astrophysicist responsible for the clearing of atmospheric debris from Earth’s orbit and bioengineer who had corrected the dangers of the transporter system, was glaring at him. Leonard squeaked and realized that he had been attempting to put his harness on upside down. _Oh, god,_ he thought as the floor shook. 

The rest of the line filtered slowly in. He glanced up as the man passed him, nodded as politely as he could manage, and did his best not to vomit for the rest of the flight. 

“I’m pleased to welcome you to China Station IV. For those who have reached their final destination, please proceed to the right of the corridor outside and claim your baggage. For those who are meeting a connecting flight, please proceed to the left of the corridor. Passengers continuing to earth colony 9115, we will be continuing the flight in fifteen Terran minutes. You may move around the shuttle,” chimed an automated voice.

He waited. He was among the latter. Starfleet’s Conference for the Analysis and Exploration of Recently Identified Environments was being held on EC 9115 for the second time in 39 years. Last year’s was on Vulcan. He had given a presentation on the respiratory system of the Aenithids, a sub-surface non-humanoid life form on Arimbau. It had gone well enough but he had to leave before the discussion because Jim had contracted a rare disease on a planet that Leonard had told him _not_ to beam down to. He was still a little bit bitter about that. S’chn T’gai Spock had arrived the day after. It had been disappointing at the time. He didn’t usually follow scientists that weren’t involved in the medical field, but Spock seemed to be the exception. He seemed to be the exception to a lot of things, in fact. Leonard hoped he would be able to see the Vulcan present this year. 

While everyone was bustling around with their bags, Leonard took the chance to appreciate being stationary for just a few minutes, even if they were still in space. He took out his pad and grimaced. No less than 17 unread messages from Jim awaited him. 

07:03 – Jim

Hey Bones, take your meds!  
You don’t want to be sick on this flight. 

 

07:19 – Jim 

You have to take pictures of everything.  
I’m still pissed that I’m not going.  
Why is it that this is considered paid leave for you but I have to stay here?

 

08:31 – Jim 

You don’t even like space.  
I should be the one having adventures.  
At least try to have fun, won’t you?

 

09:03 – Jim 

The Andorian bakery is supposed to be to die for.  
Bring something back for me. 

 

09:05 – Jim 

Also, the bar on the 32nd terrace is fantastic. It’s the one where I met Deltique. I highly recommend it.  
I just saw her last month. She’s head engineer of the T’Argo. I always knew she would go far.  
Still, it’s probably not your cup of tea.  
Try the Bay. You’d like their salads, old man. 

 

10:31 – Jim 

Bones, I’m bored.  
Tell me when you get there.  
Entertain me. 

 

Leonard rolled his eyes. What Jim did without him was still a mystery at times. He opened a new message draft. 

 

10:42 – Outgoing

Jim, shut the hell up. I just landed on China Station IV. I’ll be there in an hour. 

 

“Doctor Leonard McCoy?” a voice said from next to him.

He glanced up and subsequently went through three seconds of panic. 

“I, um, that’s me,” he managed in return. 

“Is this seat taken?” Spock asked. 

“Not as of now,” he said, hoping desperately that it soon would be. 

“In that case, I had hoped to contact you before the conference. Are you currently occupied?”

“Not at all. What can I do you for?” he said, regretting it the second it left his mouth. Vulcans. Idioms. Damn. 

Spock raised an eyebrow. 

“That is, what can I do for you?” he amended quickly. 

He inclined his head in affirmation and sat, perfect posture making Leonard’s forced relaxation look even more painful. 

“It was you who published your dissertation on the telepathic inclinations of the Therafids, is that correct?”

“That’s right,” he said. “I’m surprised you know of it.” 

“Indeed, Doctor. I have found your analysis of the evolution of the Therafids to be highly accurate.”

Leonard raised his eyebrows. From a Vulcan, ‘highly accurate’ must have been among the highest of compliments. From this Vulcan, though, he wasn’t sure. 

“Why, thank you,” he said. “That’s rather high praise from the person who published an analysis on the gender development of the same species. Are you sure you’ve got the right paper?”

Spock’s mouth twitched and his eyes shone with humor. “Quite sure. It was, in fact, your discussion that lead me to question my perspective.”

At that, Leonard turned bright red. If he had thought accuracy was high praise, this must be overt flattery. “Wow,” he said. “I’ve converted you, then?”

“Not at all.”

“Well why not? I had conclusive evidence that although they have evolved to have no physical gender, historical texts and vestigial organs indicate dominant female traits. If their telepathy has developed from a point where they would have reacted negatively to a distinctly masculine entity, would explain their inclinations against those identifying as male from other species,” he said. He distantly noted that the shuttle had taken off again. 

“You did not include hormonal factors that may physically influence their telepathy or the possibility of behavioral variables that contributed toward their repulsion,” he said, looking satisfied with himself. 

Leonard huffed. “Those elements are statistically miniscule in comparison, Sch…Tnng…”

“Just Spock.”

“Spock. Thank you.” he ignored the sliver of satisfaction that seeped through those eyes. “Have you read Nyota Uhura’ linguistic study of their language?”

“I am closely acquainted with her and her work, yes. If you are implying that the word _tak’hutkots_ and its interpretation alludes to a historical labor distinction, I must disagree.’”

“Really, Spock? Then what do you propose it means?”

“A fine meat.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me.”

“I assure you, doctor, I do not kid.” He sounded mildly offended. 

“Okay, now? Sure. But the meaning could have changed significantly since contact,” he argued, dimly aware that they had become a spectacle for half of the shuttle. 

“They have had barely three hundred years since first contact. If the implications have changed so much, then we—”

“You seem to be forgetting that your own society went from incredibly violent to completely pacifist in hardly more time than that,” he snapped. 

Spock considered the point. “And yet our vocabulary is very much the same.”

Leonard rolled his eyes. “Look, neither of us are properly qualified to be arguing this point anyway. If you’re so friendly with Uhura, you might as well just ask her.”

“Perhaps I will,” Spock said. He tilted his head. “I am expected in her quarters for dinner tonight. Several others who might offer valuable insight will be attending.”

“Well, good for you, then.”

“Would you accompany me?”

Leonard blinked. “I…What?”

“Do you wish to join me for dinner?” Spock said slowly. 

“Well, I can hardly say no to that, now, can I?”

“You can,” he said. 

“I don’t want to.” Leonard banished the heat creeping up his cheeks. 

 

_Later That Day_

“Jim, why are you calling me?” Leonard held the Padd away from his ears expectantly. Jim’s face was peeking from the tiny screen and he looked very unhappy. 

“I’m calling because I’m bored, Bones, that’s why! Didn’t you say you’d call me when you go there? I thought you drowned in a lake.”

He winced. “I’m sorry, I forgot.” He really had intended to call, but. Well, he had been preoccupied. 

“You forgot?” Jim said, sounding incredulous. “Well, anyway. How did it go this time?”

“My presentation went fine. Only a couple extremists throwing tomatoes from the crowd.”

Jim opened his mouth, but Uhura walked into the room at that moment holding a plate of olives. “Doctor? Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t know that you were busy,” she said, offering Jim an apologetic wave. He returned it looking slack jawed. 

“Don’t worry about it,” Leonard assured her. “I’ll be done in just a moment.”

“Take your time. Scotty’s got the burgers just about done but I can have him throw another on later for you.”

“Nah,” he said, “I’ll be faster than that.”

As she nodded and walked away, he reluctantly turned back to Jim. 

“ _Damn_ , Bones. Who was that? She’s gorgeous! Where are you, anyway? Why are you grinning at me like that?” Jim’s voice was crackling as he got closer to the camera. 

“I bet you can figure it out for yourself,” he said vaguely. 

Jim gaped. “You met someone, didn’t you. Was it her? Okay, hold up, I need details immediately!”

Leonard chuckled. “Oh, Jim. You’ll never guess.”

“Leonard,” Spock said from behind him. “We should join them while there is still palatable food.”

He glanced up as Spock rested his hand against the back of his neck. “You’re right. Sorry, Jim. Gonna have to sign off. McCoy out.”

“Bones? Who the hell was that? Damnit, give me something!” 

“Alright,” he conceded. He pulled Spock in for a kiss just to hear Jim scream from the other side of the room. 

Leonard let the call drag on as he walked away, relishing the feeling of Spock's hand against his and the shouts of shock and denial.

**Author's Note:**

> This was a really random idea that I had while on the plane. I didn't spend a lot of time on it so if there's anything confusing, please tell me so I can correct it.


End file.
